Albums to watch

Afraid of Heights

Wavves

Afraid of Heights

San Diego duo Nathan Williams and Stephen Pope with a 4th installment of surf rock / indie pop

ADM rating[?]

6.8

Label
Warner Bros
UK Release date
26/03/2013
US Release date
26/03/2013
  1. 8.3 |   A.V. Club

    Sounds bigger and more ambitious than anything Nathan Williams’ former backyard solo project has ever recorded
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  2. 8.0 |   DIY

    A far stronger and much more accomplished effort, sounding more like an apposite album than any of Wavves' back catalogue
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  3. 8.0 |   Rolling Stone

    Frequent Nirvana echoes flirt with overkill. But no one has ever channeled that band's bubblegum nihilism better
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  4. 7.9 |   Beats Per Minute

    Afraid Of Heights throws yet more weight behind the idea that sometimes a little instant gratification is what we want, even if it’s not what we need
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  5. 7.9 |   The AU Review

    This album is definitely not a turning point for Wavves, but it screams out to be listened to again and again
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  6. 7.8 |   Pitchfork

    Provides plenty of bummed-out pleasures and Williams' obvious talent is easy to take for granted
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  7. 7.5 |   Pretty Much Amazing

    Wavves has developed an aging adolescent sense of helpless and reckless abandon that overflows from every depressed line on Afraid of Heights
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  8. 7.5 |   Paste Magazine

    A rare case of DIY artist who appeals to a wide audience
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  9. 7.0 |   Consequence Of Sound

    Some of the grimy ease that made early Wavves so exciting and unique has faded, though a number of glorious hooks remain
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  10. 7.0 |   PopMatters

    Addictively catchy tunes that, while somewhat empty and lacking in substance, are still good, hazy fun
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  11. 7.0 |   The Line Of Best Fit

    Their knack for producing pop records that evoke the spirit of so many beloved nineties bands is undeniable
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  12. 7.0 |   The Fly

    Their kings of the beach crown may have slipped a little nowadays, but Wavves still offer plenty of no-frills fun
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  13. 7.0 |   NME

    He is an asshole screw-up, for better and for worse, and at his best, this record is the ballsy twisted screech of a deranged finger-biter
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  14. 6.5 |   The 405

    Whilst Afraid Of Heights is far from a disappointment, it doesn't add anything new to Wavves cannon of interest
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  15. 6.0 |   Loud And Quiet

    The self-hatred can be problematic at times, true, but the craftsmanship beneath the feeling, and throughout most of ‘Afraid of Heights’, is as sound as ever
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  16. 6.0 |   Under The Radar

    Afraid of Heights carries on, unsurprisingly, where its predecessor King of the Beach left off... and indeed where it started
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  17. 6.0 |   Spin

    His gifts undeniably go beyond mere mimicry, but Afraid of Heights does little beyond confirming the King of the Beach's abilities as a conjurer
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  18. 5.0 |   All Music

    Maybe lovers of '90s revival bands will find something to like here, but anyone who was into the records Wavves made before is out of luck
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  19. 5.0 |   Slant Magazine

    More often than not, Afraid of Heights points to a set of punk-rock signifiers rather than thoughtfully engaging with them
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  20. 4.0 |   Blurt

    The thing that Wavves are most afraid of isn’t heights, its originality
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Wavves: Afraid of Heights

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